After a challenging few years tackling bushfires and COVID-19, the Kangaroo Island community has started a wonderful celebration called the Kangaroo Island Spring Garden Festival, which showcases KI’s gorgeous gardens.
The festival first began in 2020, created by four savvy KI gardeners looking to inject a little bit of joy into what was then a very grim year for Kangaroo Island.
Following a successful inaugural year and a 2021 postponement, the Spring Garden Festival is once again blossoming this October and November.
The idea is, passionate gardeners weed and prune their garden patches, then volunteer to participate in the festival. There will then be a myriad of gardeners opening their garden gates to the public, so people can peruse, set up a picnic, and enjoy the beauty of a blooming spring season.
In 2020, 12 gardens were involved in the festival, where wanderers could find everything from pristinely trimmed lawns to little weatherboard cladded granny flats surrounded by a field of succulents.
This year, more than a dozen gardens will be showcased throughout the months of October and November. Starting from Sunday 2 October, at least two gardens will be open to the public from 10am – 4pm.
Gardens will be displayed every weekend until Sunday 27 November, excluding the Kingscote and Parndana Show Days (29 October & 12 November respectively). From small town gardens and craft studios to large country properties, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Also expect art, music and plant and craft stalls peppered throughout the festival.
The organisers advise that most owners are happy for guests to bring their own picnic, but some locations also offer basic catering and refreshments. Further details can be found here.
The festival has been proudly organised by the KI Garden Club & KI Artfeast Inc, spearheaded by the organising committee, Anne Morrison, Jennie Teasdale and Lindy Bruce.
Inspired by the charming stories of the gardens and their passionate gardeners, Jennie Teasdale has also released a book entitled “Exploring Enchanted Gardens on Kangaroo Island”. The book commemorates the community project, sprinkled with illustrations, hand-painted watercolour mud maps, photographs, and more.
The book is available from Big Quince Print for $49.95.
To learn more about the Kangaroo Island Spring Garden Festival and follow the updates, visit the festival Facebook page.
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